Stumble
by Jewel Song
Summary: You're thinking like a line. Think circle. Zuko learns waterbending. Or tries to, anyway.


For Irrel , who rocks my Zutara world. I hope you like it, hun.

The general idea going into this was that Zuko and Iroh occasionally joined up with Aang and co. when it was convenient, or if they ran into each other. That sort of thing.

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Zuko let out an irritated yell as slammed his fist into the spring beneath him, the reflection of the full moon becoming distorted until reforming again. Why did his uncle have to make this lightening reflecting move based off the waterbenders? Why couldn't he have just used firebending?

After snarling at the clear water, Zuko tried to focus his mind on the task at hand.

_Flow…flow…like water…_

"You're as stiff as a board, you know."

Whipping his head around toward the surrounding forest and teasing voice, the banished prince glared at the Avatar's brown skinned female companion.

His _waterbending _companion.

Torn between asking her for help and telling her piss off, Zuko turned back around and glared at the water beneath him, preparing to go through the motions again. Challenging her to fight was out of the question, Avatar or no. The reflection of the full moon shimmered in front of him; mocking him. Frustration rushing through his veins, Zuko distantly heard the girl (_what was her name? Katara_?) slip into the water with him and saw her smile slightly, no fear in her face whatsoever as she came to stand in front of him.

"You're thinking like a line. Think circle. Shift through the stances and the water, or in your case, the lightening, will shift with you."

He paused, studying her carefully.

"How do you know about the lightening?" he asked finally, a frown tugging at his lips.

"You uncle," Katara replied, "is a wonderful man. I got separated from Aang, Sokka and Toph, stumbled upon your camp, and your uncle was nice enough to offer me a place to stay until they found me."

"HE _WHAT_?"

"He also mentioned that you were playing in the water," she smirked, "and I offered to help."

Zuko was silently cursing his Uncle until he felt Katara's hands (so much smaller than his own) on top of his own. Her back was to him, and he vaguely noticed that she fit rather comfortably in his arms. He mentally shook his head to clear it and tried to focus on what she was saying…

Until he was distracted by the scent of her hair, which smelt pleasantly of some sort of flower. It was a wonder she managed to smell so good while traveling with two boys and a flying bison…

Zuko felt his body move with her through the stances his Uncle had taught him, but his mind was focused on the curve of Katara's neck and the familiar necklace adorning it.

It was much better suited to her lovely, slim throat, he decided, than to sitting in his pocket.

"See? You've got it! Shifting through the stances is the key. Just remember to think circles and curves, not straight lines."

His mind jumped back to the lesson at hand, and Zuko knew that with the way her body was pressed up against his, both of their clothes wet from the spring they stood in, curves would be the only thing he thought about for the rest of the night.

He reluctantly let her slip out of his arms and tried to let the words of gratitude in his mind come out of his mouth. Katara merely smiled softly up at him, tugged on his shirt until he bent down to her height, and pressed her lips to his forehead.

Shocked, Zuko barely registered the distant call of the Avatar, calling the waterbender back to him. Irritated at how quickly the Avatar found her, his mind screamed at him to _do something, you idiot, she's leaving_!

Heart racing, Zuko reached out and wrapped his hand around her wrist, pulled her to his chest and quickly locked his lips with hers.

The kiss was short but sweet, and as Katara pulled away from him, her eyes were glazed over. She hesitated slightly before turning to leave again,.

"Thank you," Zuko whispered to her retreating back.

_Your welcome_ her blue eyes said as she glanced back to him, a smile gracing her lips.

That night, when Zuko lay down to sleep, he dreamt of circles, water and blue eyes as bright as the moon.

: fin :

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_You're so transparent / How you stumble 'round those words so well  
_- Stumble / Natasha Bedingfield

**Comments:** A shorter, alternate version of this was used for theavatar100 on LJ, Challenge #53: Line. I had already written most of this one-shot, so I tweaked and shortened it a little bit to fit the challenge. I'm not entirely happy with it, but it's all I can seem to manage. The shorter version can be found in my drabble collection, Just Take A Moment. The link can be found in my profile.


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